screwball48
Explorer
I like the way you are redesigning the rear door. The additional usefulness is well thought out as always.
EarthRoamer XV-JP "Northwest Edition"
- Thread starter WhereTheHellIsJames?
- Start date
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
The reason for the epoxy and glass is the bond and durability... Bondo only, would crack I think... I've used barrels of Resin Research "Quick Kick" and it has never failed me... I would never go back to polyester resins again... I have seen way to many times Poly fail... The problem is that it dries too hard and brittle... Bad bond that relies primarily on a mechanical bond... Gotta scuff it up... Epoxy cures slower, is more flexible and the bond is as good as it gets... Epoxies problem is that it is hard to get a glass like polish since it does not get as hard to Poly... It can be done but it takes forever... Additionally Resin Research is UV stable... What you see is how it stays... Nothing but good things to say about it...
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
29 - Rear Door Cut-Out
(above) The Seitz rear window is pretty cool... Read more about them here> http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/56066-Seitz-Windows-101-Pros-Cons-and-their-Operation
The other rear cabin windows are tinted, which I like for their improved privacy, and reducing solar gain, so I took the Seitz window to the local window tint shop and had it filmed with the medium dark tint...
(above) The rear door was removed from the hinges so a cut-out for a permanent box could be made...
(above) A half hour with a metal cutting blade on a framing saw and the panel was almost all the way cut through...
(above) The final cut-out... The door is now at least 30# lighter...
(above) Flipped over it looks like this...
(above) A simple 1/2"plywood box was build for the cut-out... The rough size is 30" wide x 15" high x 7" deep... It will be fiberglassed by itself, then fiberglassed to the door...
(above) The Seitz rear window is pretty cool... Read more about them here> http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/56066-Seitz-Windows-101-Pros-Cons-and-their-Operation
The other rear cabin windows are tinted, which I like for their improved privacy, and reducing solar gain, so I took the Seitz window to the local window tint shop and had it filmed with the medium dark tint...
(above) The rear door was removed from the hinges so a cut-out for a permanent box could be made...
(above) A half hour with a metal cutting blade on a framing saw and the panel was almost all the way cut through...
(above) The final cut-out... The door is now at least 30# lighter...
(above) Flipped over it looks like this...
(above) A simple 1/2"plywood box was build for the cut-out... The rough size is 30" wide x 15" high x 7" deep... It will be fiberglassed by itself, then fiberglassed to the door...
Paul,
I'm not sure of what I make of some of your engineering decisions, but I'm suspending judgment and enjoying your creative process. It wouldn't be the first time I've been 10 steps behind a good idea.
Put differently, if that box-in-a-door idea works out, it's going to be impressive. I can see a watertight boat-type utility hatch on the outside and a drop-down tabletop on the inside for a single cabinet accessible from both inside and outside. Maybe a bungee net to keep things in as you open the doors? Brilliant. (If it works and the door doesn't taco under the weight!)
I'm not sure of what I make of some of your engineering decisions, but I'm suspending judgment and enjoying your creative process. It wouldn't be the first time I've been 10 steps behind a good idea.
Put differently, if that box-in-a-door idea works out, it's going to be impressive. I can see a watertight boat-type utility hatch on the outside and a drop-down tabletop on the inside for a single cabinet accessible from both inside and outside. Maybe a bungee net to keep things in as you open the doors? Brilliant. (If it works and the door doesn't taco under the weight!)
GlobalMonkey
Adventurer
Spare is on the left side of the Jeep behind drivers door
thebigblue
Adventurer
Enjoying it all as well, but maybe a metal profile vertical on each side of the door will keep it rigid (could be welded inside the body of the door I think), or maybe some short of lock in the top upper half while on bumpy roads... just thinking that the two halves might need a bit of assistance to carrying on having their nice relationship 
If the fibreglass alone will keep them together I´m impressed.
Further on the hinge-side-debate, why not hinge the rear door in the top when you´re at it, then there´s free access from both sides, and a free awning?
Keep the flow up please.
If the fibreglass alone will keep them together I´m impressed.Further on the hinge-side-debate, why not hinge the rear door in the top when you´re at it, then there´s free access from both sides, and a free awning?
Keep the flow up please.
Last edited:
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
30 - Door Prep - Awning Installs - Tire mount...
(above) The plywood box for the door has been routered with a round over bit, sanded rough and given the preliminary fiberglass coat...
(above) As promised, the rear quarters get a final fiberglassing...
(above) The former door hinge points get stuffed with stranded carbon fiber and epoxy, several times, to build up some thickness and stiffness...
(above) Hinge side with five years of saved, frayed, C.F...
(above) Next day... Wood dams clamped on for more glassing...
(above) Later, every flex point solidified... All the rough sanded steel, epoxy coated to eliminate oxidization...
(above) The walls have three coats of paint... The awning is ready to mount... High quality flashing tape goes under the awning contact points... Can't hurt...
(above) Two big bolts hold it on...
(above) Curb side, the window is installed into a bed of top dollar "Quad" sealant...
(above) Next, the straight pull awing is ready to be mounted...
( above) Six heavy duty SS screws are the connection...
Later both awnings will be caulked along the top edge...
(above) Oh yeah, the inside look at the spare wheel mount...
(above) The plywood box for the door has been routered with a round over bit, sanded rough and given the preliminary fiberglass coat...
(above) As promised, the rear quarters get a final fiberglassing...
(above) The former door hinge points get stuffed with stranded carbon fiber and epoxy, several times, to build up some thickness and stiffness...
(above) Hinge side with five years of saved, frayed, C.F...
(above) Next day... Wood dams clamped on for more glassing...
(above) Later, every flex point solidified... All the rough sanded steel, epoxy coated to eliminate oxidization...
(above) The walls have three coats of paint... The awning is ready to mount... High quality flashing tape goes under the awning contact points... Can't hurt...
(above) Two big bolts hold it on...
(above) Curb side, the window is installed into a bed of top dollar "Quad" sealant...
(above) Next, the straight pull awing is ready to be mounted...
( above) Six heavy duty SS screws are the connection...
Later both awnings will be caulked along the top edge...
(above) Oh yeah, the inside look at the spare wheel mount...
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
31 - Rear Door
Lately the camera has been put away.. Too much to do, too little time... My day jobs are mostly very long days and the bulk of the Jeep porogress has been early in the mornings and late into the evenings... Typical...
(above) Since the last post a lot of time went into getting the rear door to this point... A significant amount of focus was on getting the door straight and stiff... Now it is... Next,the rear box was fiberglassed to the door, in and out, after filling in the steel door with spray foam insulation, priming everything with epoxy, Bondoing where it was needed, and another layer of fiberglass and epoxy over everything... Finally the door was painted flat grey...
(above) Lights were added... New LED brake and turn, amber marker, and a third brake light were installed...
The window was fully dismantled, canded, cleaned and painted flat black... The shade and screen were also cleaned... As good as new...
(above) The rear box will be the primary storage area for kitchen stuff...
(above) There will be a drop down table here...
(above) The drop down will have two parts... One will be only opened with the door open... For a permanent' built in stove...The other side will be accessible from inside the cabin with the door closed, as well as with the door open for outside cooking...
(above) Not sure just yet how this will be finished off, but there are a lot of options...
(above) Back to the door... The latch is similar to one used on lift up camper shell doors...
(above) The hinge was the one that supported the old roof... Heavy enough for that, just fine for here... The screws let me sleep well at night...
(above) Inside it finishes off like this... I was finally able to find a use for part of an old Stanley garage door handle, the escutcheon... Getting the matching handle to work was too time consuming to bother with... The inside latch will be supplemented with a pair of barrel bolt locks, high and low... For night security and extended trips away from home base...
(above) A temporary lock holder is on the wall... Later it will be steel. bolted through the wheel well...
We are heading over to France and Spain for a few weeks... Daughter is getting married...Don't expect to see a whole lot more progress on the Jeep for some time...Lots of time to think about the inside now...More later...
Lately the camera has been put away.. Too much to do, too little time... My day jobs are mostly very long days and the bulk of the Jeep porogress has been early in the mornings and late into the evenings... Typical...
(above) Since the last post a lot of time went into getting the rear door to this point... A significant amount of focus was on getting the door straight and stiff... Now it is... Next,the rear box was fiberglassed to the door, in and out, after filling in the steel door with spray foam insulation, priming everything with epoxy, Bondoing where it was needed, and another layer of fiberglass and epoxy over everything... Finally the door was painted flat grey...
(above) Lights were added... New LED brake and turn, amber marker, and a third brake light were installed...
The window was fully dismantled, canded, cleaned and painted flat black... The shade and screen were also cleaned... As good as new...
(above) The rear box will be the primary storage area for kitchen stuff...
(above) There will be a drop down table here...
(above) The drop down will have two parts... One will be only opened with the door open... For a permanent' built in stove...The other side will be accessible from inside the cabin with the door closed, as well as with the door open for outside cooking...
(above) Not sure just yet how this will be finished off, but there are a lot of options...
(above) Back to the door... The latch is similar to one used on lift up camper shell doors...
(above) The hinge was the one that supported the old roof... Heavy enough for that, just fine for here... The screws let me sleep well at night...
(above) Inside it finishes off like this... I was finally able to find a use for part of an old Stanley garage door handle, the escutcheon... Getting the matching handle to work was too time consuming to bother with... The inside latch will be supplemented with a pair of barrel bolt locks, high and low... For night security and extended trips away from home base...
(above) A temporary lock holder is on the wall... Later it will be steel. bolted through the wheel well...
We are heading over to France and Spain for a few weeks... Daughter is getting married...Don't expect to see a whole lot more progress on the Jeep for some time...Lots of time to think about the inside now...More later...
PaulJensen
Custom Builder
Paul is enjoying good food, great wine, awesome museums and constantly thinking about what to do next on the Jeep... I have seen only a few legitimate off road vehicles here, mostly LR Defenders and I gotta say, they are so cool... Au revoir pour se soire...
Topo.Ranger
Adventurer
Suspension
After reading the first few pages of the thread I am more curious about the suspension. I'm currently building up my Jeep for a month long trip next summer and I'm needing some stiffer springs in the rear. The jeep has a 2.5" Rock Krawler Max Travel kit on it now and the rear springs just aren't doing so well. Any recommendations? I've thought about the OME HD springs but they would be shorter than the springs I have currently but they are rated for heavier loads. Do you know of any other companies that actually have a heavier rated spring? I've seen Teraflex's springs but the reviews didn't seem to good due to sagging very quickly.
After reading the first few pages of the thread I am more curious about the suspension. I'm currently building up my Jeep for a month long trip next summer and I'm needing some stiffer springs in the rear. The jeep has a 2.5" Rock Krawler Max Travel kit on it now and the rear springs just aren't doing so well. Any recommendations? I've thought about the OME HD springs but they would be shorter than the springs I have currently but they are rated for heavier loads. Do you know of any other companies that actually have a heavier rated spring? I've seen Teraflex's springs but the reviews didn't seem to good due to sagging very quickly.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
This XV-JP originally came from EarthRoamer with a Teraflex suspension and, while it was decent on a trail, I didn't like the pavement handling at all. In fact, all the flex seemed to me to make it scary on freeway-speed curves. So I wanted to change it pretty early on. The suggestion to change to the nth Degree, now AEV, suspension came from Scott Brady who had had good success with it when he had an XV-JP with 3.5 inch in the front, 4.5 inch in the rear.
A stock XV-JP weighed about 7K pounds, as did mine after the mods, so I can't tell you how my setup would work for a heavy, but still lighter, built up JK. For my truck, though, I don't believe I could have done better. Pavement and trail performance were both all I could have hoped for. Sadly, though, that's as far as my expertise goes; I haven't much experience with other options.
Good luck.